FLANGES

WHAT IS A FLANGE?

1. A flange is a metal disc used to join pipes. A gasket

is fixed between the two flanges to tighten up the
seal. A flange is used to connect two pipes or valves
or tubes to form a piping network. Flanges provide
support and strength and prevent leakage.

2. Flanges are commonly welded or screwed into

pipes or valves and are then joined with bolts.
Flanges provide easy access to clean or inspect a
piping system.
3. Flanges are made of different metal – Stainless Steel, Cast
Iron, Ductile Iron, Carbon Steel, etc. As they are made from
a variety of metals, flanges differ in their ‘pressure classes’.
4. Every flange is classified under a pressure class,
depending on the capacity of the flange to withstand a
particular amount of temperature. Also, the metal used in
a flange can determine how much pressure it can
withstand.

5. This means that different flanges can withstand different

temperatures (or pressures.) If the temperature increases,
the pressure rating of the flange decreases and vice versa.
 TYPES OF FLANGES
Different industries demand different types of flanges
according to their usage and pressure classes.
The most commonly used flanges are: weld-neck, slip-
on, socket, lap-joint, threaded and blind flanges.
 WELD-NECK FLANGES
Weld-Neck flanges are welded to the base of the pipe as the bore of
the flange matches the bore of the pipe; thus allowing undisturbed
product flow of the inner fluid. They provide supporting strength
and stress distribution in high-pressure applications
Pros:
• Allow free flow of the product
• Reduces turbulence and erosion at
the joints
• Allow radiography for flaw detection
• Highly durable
• Highly durable
Cons:
• They are quite expensive
 SLIP-ON FLANGES

Slip-on flanges have bores with a diameter slightly larger than

the pipe; this helps it to slide/slip over the pipe. This flange is
then welded inside and outside too, with fillet welding.

Pros:
• Cost-effective
• They are thinner compared to other
flanges
• Easy to use in fabricated applications
 SOCKET WELD FLANGES

These flanges are counter-bored i.e. the enlargement of the flat-

bottomed, smaller coaxial hole. This permits good flow of the
product through the pipe. Yet, a demerit of socket weld flange is
the

Pros:
• Used in small-sized high-pressure pipes
• Useful in high-pressure systems
Cons:
• A gap created between pipe and flange
during the welding process may lead to
corrosion.
 LAP JOINT FLANGE
These flanges are used with a stub end, which is
welded to the pipe. Therefore the stub end forms the
face of the flange. They are designed in a way that they
swing over the pipe without the need to be welded.
Pros:
• They do not corrode
• Re-usable
• Inexpensive
• Easy assembly and
disassembly for quick
inspection.
 THREADED FLANGES:
The most noteworthy feature of these flanges is that they can
be joined to a pipe without welding. The bore of these flanges
have threads and can be fitted to pipes that have external
threads.

Pros:
• Useful in low pressure applications
• Beneficial in highly combustible
industries where welding is
dangerous.
• Low priced
• Fit best for small pipes
 BLIND FLANGES:
These flanges are mostly used to seal the end or opening of a
pipe, which is why they come without a bore. This comes in
handy for inspection and pressure tests, as it allows quick
access to the pipe.

Pros:
• They allows quick access to the pipe
• This comes in handy for inspection
and pressure tests.
To sum it all up, flanges offer great strength as well as flexibility to
piping systems in industries like oil, gas, petrochemicals,
chemicals, etc.
To know more about flanges, visit http://www.rajendrasteel.com/